Passenger Traffic At BWI Airport Hits Highest Level In More Than A Year Over Mother's Day Weekend
LINTHICUM, Md. (WJZ) -- BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport experienced it's busiest day for departing passengers in more than a year over Mother's Day weekend.
Officials say TSA screened a record-breaking 21,742 departing passengers on Friday making May 7 the busiest day at BWI Marshall since Maryland first announced its COVID-19 State of Emergency.
"As vaccination rates climb, Americans are eager to travel," said Ricky Smith, Executive Director for BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. "We expect passenger growth to accelerate in coming months. The airport and our partners remain focused on providing healthy, safe travel for our customers."
Friday's total was a part of a four-day stretch from Thursday through Sunday which also marked record-breaking numbers for the airport with 80,993 departing passengers being recorded. Nationwide, the TSA screened more than 1.7 million travelers at airports on May 9, the highest daily number since the beginning of the pandemic.
The numbers reflect continued recovery of passenger traffic at BWI Marshall and follows TSA's April total of 502,153 departing passengers at the airport – up 1,312% compared to April 2020 when the global pandemic was having its greatest impact on air travel. Last April, was a low point at BWI Marshall for passenger traffic which was down 96% compared to 2019.
"Our team and our partners at BWI Marshall Airport are responding quickly – and with the utmost focus on safety – as air travelers return to the skies," said MDOT Secretary Greg Slater. "The numbers we're seeing reflect customers' confidence in the comfortable, efficient service they receive from our airport and our carriers. That support motivates us every day."
BWI Marshall Airport continues to monitor travel conditions and work to ensure services and amenities for customers. Seventy-one percent of airport food and retail concessions are now open. Last month, BWI Marshall Airport reopened its Long Term A Parking lot. As more people return to air travel, BWI Marshall remains the busiest airport in the region.